Page 24 of Court of Shadows
I couldn’t say when the knife had transformed into a pistol, but it had. My terror as I flew through the air must have forced the change. Whatever caused it, I did not care, raising the gun and firing, reeling back as the bullet grazed the side of the creature’s face. It roared, that same horrible, animal scream filling the clearing. I clapped my hands over my ears, deafened, watching in mute horror as it swung toward me, purple eyes brighter even than the moon above.
Now I had drawn the creature’s attention and I had no idea what to do—the pistol held only one shot and I scrambled to change the spoon yet again, this time into a knife, a spear, anything.... But I was too unfocused, too panicked, and the beast was upon me, its black nose tracing the shape of my head before it snorted and showed me its fangs.
And itspoke.
I closed my eyes, feeling death near, smelling the musky scent of its fur and the grass and brambles caught in its coat. One crunch of its teeth and my throat would be ripped to tatters. Blood dripped down its sharp cheek from where the bullethad torn open a wound.
“Nebet, aw ibek,” it growled, or something that sounded like those jumbled words.
How it spoke, I know not, but the voice was from the pits of Hell itself, full of malice and unnatural tremors. It turned away from me, but not before grabbing the pistol from my hand and crushing it in its great fist. I lunged, trying to reach for it, the one weapon I might have boasted against the beast, and then gasped, a flash of light blinding us all.
The creature snarled again, and when I could finally see through the haze of gold filling the clearing, I saw the thing go on all fours and sprint away into the forest. The ground shook at its going, trees creaking and groaning as it rent them in its retreat. I rubbed at my eyes, stumbling forward to try to find Mary, but she was not alone.
Finch stood over her, a pair of immense white wings flaring from his back before they folded behind his back and vanished. A glow remained around him, the obvious source of the flash that had startled the beast and made it flee. I touched my neck, feeling the raw spot where the beast had ripped at the chain on my necklace. It was gone—spoon, knife, gun, whatever it was, it was gone.
“What was that thing?” I murmured, hoarse.
Mary got slowly to her feet, helped by Finch. He was still dressed in his slim gray suit, but his hair looked rumpled from sleep.
Frowning, he turned and looked toward the path of destruction left by the creature as it escaped. “I only caught a glimpse of it,” he said, guiding Mary to lean against his shoulder. “The sound it gave was enough. I thought it better to blind first and get a good look later.”
“It... It was like a wolf or, or a fox, but so much bigger,” I stammered. My back ached from colliding with the tree and my hands were still shaking from shock. “What if it comes back?”
“Then I will deal with it again,” Finch said. He looked sure, but I detected a jumpiness in his gaze, his eyes shifting side to side as he held Mary. “We should get you both back to the house.”
“Are you hurt, Mary?” I asked, watching as she stared around at the edges of the clearing, vigilant.
“I... I don’t think so,” she said. “But I fear my leg will not allow me to return on foot.”
“That is no trouble,” Finch replied, and motioned to his back. “Climb on my back. I’ll have you both to safety in a moment’s time.”
“I am quite capable of walking,” I said with a sigh. “And besides, you could not possibly carry us both.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mary had sidled to his back and hooked her arms gingerly about his neck. He reached for me as soon as she did, sweeping me up into his strong grasp and launching into the air. Neither of us had time to properly react, those same huge, white wings sprouting from his back as if theywere weightless, as if they were made of pure light.
I let out a shriek of surprise, scrambling to hang on to his shoulders as we flew up and away from the forest, leaving the forest floor far behind. Cool night air rushed over us, and my heart raced with terror all over again. It was more than just surprise, it was also dread, and the chilliness his presence always gave me. Well, and I had never been whisked through the air by a being withwings.
We landed safely in the yard just outside the kitchens. The door was still open, but now Mrs. Haylam was on the other side. Her face, twisted in fury, soon fell as she saw that it was not just me and Finch, but also Mary. I tumbled out of Finch’s grasp clumsily, wrapping my housecoat tightly around me as Mrs. Haylam rushed to Mary and herded her into an embrace.
“At last,” Mrs. Haylam was saying over and over again. It was the closest I had seen her come to tears or even joy. “At last you have returned to us. But you must be so weary.”
Mary wilted, boneless with exhaustion.
“I won’t ask what this was all about until tomorrow,” Mrs. Haylam said in a deadly whisper. Her one good eye locked on me and I pressed my lips together. “Mary is home; that earns you clemency for a few hours.”
She gave Finch an equally sharp look and then guided Mary toward the kitchens. I saw Chijioke inside, his brows knitted with concern as he scooped Mary up and brought her away from the night’s chill.
“A ‘thank you’ would suffice,” Finch muttered, long after Mrs. Haylam had gone.
“How about a spot of tea and a ‘thank you’?” I asked, trooping wearily into the kitchen.
“Are you sure that’s wise? Your housekeeper seems cross.”
“I’m already in trouble, what could it hurt?” I gestured him inside, then went to the range and checked to see that a low fire was still burning. With a wick, I went about the room, lighting a few stumpy candles and placing them on the table. There was pudding still in the pantry, and I retrieved it, laying out a bit of food while I fetched the kettle.
Frosty needles still prickled in my gut, but I ignored it, rationalizing that he had just saved my life and Mary’s, and so I could put up with the discomfort for the length of a cup of tea.
“Thank you,” I said, back to him as I fussed with the cups. “But how did you find us? No one else heard the commotion.”
